BARACK Obama has demanded truth from the "real Mitt Romney" as aides promised a "hard look" at strategy after the US president's listless performance in the first White House debate.
Passionate, cutting and engaged, in stark comparison to his debate showing, Obama told 12,000 cheering supporters at a chilly lakeside rally in Denver that the Romney who turned up to their first head-to-head clash on Wednesday night was an impostor who had covered up unpopular positions.
"I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney," Obama said.
"It couldn't have been Mitt Romney because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year, promising $5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy.
"The fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that. The real Mitt Romney said we don't need any more teachers in our schools. The fellow on stage last night - he loves teachers, can't get enough of them.
"If you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth."
The president's feisty appearance represented a clear effort to shift the news cycle away from his stinking debate reviews and stall Romney's bid to create a comeback narrative following his unexpectedly strong showing.
Obama, who flew later to another rally in Wisconsin, seized on Romney's comment that he knew nothing about a tax break for companies that outsource jobs overseas, saying that if that was true, then the multi-millionaire former venture capitalist needed a new accountant.
"He seems to be doing just fine with his current accountant," he said, poking fun at Romney's complex offshore tax arrangements, which Democrats highlight to press the case he is indifferent to middle-class struggles.
About 40 million people watched Wednesday night's debate on television, according to preliminary figures by the Nielsen TV ratings service.
Romney basked in the plaudits for his performance as he addressed a fundraising event in Colorado before flying to Virginia, saying Americans had seen two contrasting visions for the future on stage in Denver.
The Republican challenger made a surprise appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, thrilling hundreds of attendees as he stepped on stage to join his sons who were scheduled guests.
"I know this is going to be a close-fought battle," Romney said.
"We need to win Colorado. You know what, if we do, we are going to win back the White House."
In his first public appearance since trumping Obama in the first of three one-on-one debates, the former Massachusetts governor pursued attacks on what he portrayed as the president's continuing expansion of government.
"I saw the president's vision as trickle-down government and I don't think that's what America believes in," Romney said. "I see instead a prosperity that comes through freedom."
Obama turned in a lethargic and sometimes irritable performance, allowing a pumped-up Romney an opening in a White House race that had been trending away from the Republican after weeks of gaffes.
The president's campaign team signalled that it understood Obama's performance was below par and promised a rethink before the next clash in New York state in two weeks time.
The question now is whether Romney's debate performance has changed the minds of enough wavering voters in key swing states to give the Republican challenger a real chance on November 6.
Opinion polls in the coming days will provide the first clues.

Steve , seen RP's actual policies ? only ones that actually have been worked out ,

the UFO stuff and other stuff aside, he's the most organised and fact based dude out there

but he's a lone guy , no team , can he play in a team ,?? to me these are the issues , if so get him on YOUR team for 2016 ( prez maybe not , but use his fact gathering and how he puts together viable plans as thats something lacking in the gov you have on both sides , you all use consultants now , RP uses industry itself ... )

i aint a real fan , but who is out there ?? seriously

use RP to bust NAFTA the UN all that junk , he'd be the bulldog you need , sec state something like that

tariffs , and use the money to fund real jobs , small business , not pie in the sky like the past

and slow down the imports that are sending you broke

but again make your own team for 2016 .. otherwise soro's will have another bunny lined up to be the great hope and change maker

Very good points Jack. Most people don't realize that tariffs funded the entire cost of the federal government up until the second world war. Everyone wants to go to Walmart and buy a shirt for $5 or a wide screen tv for $300. All made in China.

We don't need to bring our standard of living down to the Chinese. A 20% tariff on these products would pay off the national debt right away. It would boost American manufacturing over night. It would end all these problems.

You would pay more for products but everyone would be working and making a good living again.

If Romney was smart he'd have already promised Ron Paul Treasury Secretary. Or whatever position he can fill the best. I don't like RP but on fiscal matters, the guy is damned genius. That would also satisfy the RP nut jobs. Sorry Josh couldn't resist

The RP Delegates acted like little babies and stormed out of the Convention. They didn't get what they wanted so they took their ball and went home. Pucking out the same threats and garbage, "Without US Romney will never win". They are Babies and they are proud that they have enough members to split the Republican vote enough for an Obama victory. They would rather see four more years of Obama then anyone but Ron Paul, anyone.

but again make your own team for 2016 .. otherwise soro's will have another bunny lined up to be the great hope and change maker

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The RP Babies are doing everything they can to get Obama another 4. They are not team players and you cannot turn them into team players. It is all or nothing with them. Not only nothing, they will fight against you just to prove a point.
They will get what they want in 2012 and that is an Obama victory. Boy, I guess they showed us huh. Maybe next time we will do as they demand.
Problem is, with an Obama victory there won't be a next time. If Obama wins in Nov. it's over.

Relax. The one that will win has allready been picked. We dont know who that is yet. We will know on Nov 7th. That is when they will let us know.

Right now what you are seeing is both parties making money.

Each party wants the other to believe they have a shot. Each party wants you to believe your allmost there but just not enough, need allittle bit more, send us your money, sit down at the 20K dollar fried chicken and watermelon plate lunch.

So take it easy, they want you upset.

BTW the powers that be know that the middle class is a necessary evil. So relax they know we have been beaten to death and most all of us are bankrupt. They have nothing to gain if we all fail. So more than likely they will put us back to work. Someone has to work and make the money.

The RP Babies are doing everything they can to get Obama another 4. They are not team players and you cannot turn them into team players. It is all or nothing with them. Not only nothing, they will fight against you just to prove a point.

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There are people who actively think about their actions and consciously decide that a liberal Republican president is worse for the country than a liberal Democrat president. Do I agree with that? Not necessarily. But yelling at them for not toeing the party line makes somebody sound like a baby.

If Republicans win elections with liberal candidates, the party sees that as the strategy that wins.
What is more important to politicians, to win elections for themselves or to do the right thing for the country? If it were doing the right thing for the country, we wouldn't be anywhere near the situation in which we find ourselves.

I haven't seen anyone bring up Congressman Paul here on TFF for the last month, you excluded. Why? He's not even running for president. He's not on the ballot anywhere, not even in his congressional district. Why does it drive you so nuts? Why?

Problem is, with an Obama victory there won't be a next time. If Obama wins in Nov. it's over.

Relax. The one that will win has allready been picked. We dont know who that is yet. We will know on Nov 7th. That is when they will let us know.

Right now what you are seeing is both parties making money.

Each party wants the other to believe they have a shot. Each party wants you to believe your allmost there but just not enough, need allittle bit more, send us your money, sit down at the 20K dollar fried chicken and watermelon plate lunch.

So take it easy, they want you upset.

BTW the powers that be know that the middle class is a necessary evil. So relax they know we have been beaten to death and most all of us are bankrupt. They have nothing to gain if we all fail. So more than likely they will put us back to work. Someone has to work and make the money.

Dont you feel better now?

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YUP. The vote is already decided and these little side shows wont make a lick of difference. Nobody can convince me that there are still so called "sway" voters out there. They are either worshiping their king or they are voting for romney and they already know it. Period. They can say they dont know, but they know. They arent fooling me for one second.